What are the all-time best dishes America has to offer, the ones you must taste before they vanish, so delicious they deserve to be a Holy Grail for travelers? Where’s the most vibrant Key lime pie in Florida? The most sensational chiles rellenos in New Mexico? The most succulent fried clams on the Eastern Seaboard? The most memorable whoopie pies, gumbos, tacos, cheese steaks, crab feasts? In 500 Things to Eat Before It’s Too Late, "America’s leading authorities on the culinary delights to be found while driving" (Newsweek) return to their favorite subject with a colorful, bursting-at-the-seams life list of America’s must-eats. Illustrated throughout with mouth-watering color photos and road maps, this indispensable guide is organized by region, then by state. Each entry captures the food in luscious detail and gives the lowdown on the café, roadside stand, or street cart where it’s served. When "bests" abound—hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza, apple pie, doughnuts—the Sterns rank their offerings. Sidebars feature profiles of idiosyncratic creators, recipes, and local attractions.
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What are the all-time best dishes America has to offer, the ones you must taste before they vanish, so delicious they deserve to be a Holy Grail for travelers? Where's the most vibrant Key lime pie in Florida? The most sensational chiles rellenos in New Mexico? The most succulent fried clams on the Eastern Seaboard? The most memorable whoopie pies, gumbos, tacos, cheese steaks, crab feasts? In 500 Things to Eat Before It's Too Late, "America's leading authorities on the culinary delights to be found while driving" (Newsweek) return to their favorite subject with a colorful, bursting-at-the-seams life list of America's must-eats. Illustrated throughout with mouth-watering color photos and road maps, this indispensable guide is organized by region, then by state. Each entry captures the food in luscious detail and gives the lowdown on the café, roadside stand, or street cart where it's served. When "bests" abound--hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza, apple pie, doughnuts--the Sterns rank their offerings. Sidebars feature profiles of idiosyncratic creators, recipes, and local attractions.
Don't Miss Marquees
Must-Eat Meals
What are the all-time best dishes America has to offer, the ones you must taste before they vanish, so delicious they deserve to be a Holy Grail for travelers? Where's the most vibrant Key lime pie in Florida? The most sensational chiles rellenos in New Mexico? The most succulent fried clams on the Eastern Seaboard? The most memorable whoopie pies, gumbos, tacos, cheese steaks, crab feasts? In 500 Things to Eat Before It's Too Late, "America's leading authorities on the culinary delights to be found while driving" (Newsweek) return to their favorite subject with a colorful, bursting-at-the-seams life list of America's must-eats. Illustrated throughout with mouth-watering color photos and road maps, this indispensable guide is organized by region, then by state. Each entry captures the food in luscious detail and gives the lowdown on the café, roadside stand, or street cart where it's served. When "bests" abound--hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza, apple pie, doughnuts--the Sterns rank their offerings. Sidebars feature profiles of idiosyncratic creators, recipes, and local attractions.
Amazon Exclusive: A Letter from Jane & Michael Stern, Authors of 500 Things to Eat
(Photo © Todd France)
Memorable Mileposts from 500 Things To Eat Before It's Too Late: and the Very Best Places To Eat Them
(Click on Images to Enlarge)
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Don't Miss Marquees
 Chicken Annies in Pittsburg, KS |  Burgerville in Portland, OR |  Leonard's Pit Barbecue in Memphis, TN |  The Cherry Hut in Beulah, MI |
Must-Eat Meals
From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Veteran road dogs and James Beard Award-winning food journalists Jane and Michael Stern (Roadfood, Two for the Road) have what may be their best offering yet in this easy to use, consolidated guide to America's best off-the-beaten-path eateries. Along the way, the Sterns identify the best of everything crave-worthy: regional specialties like cheese steaks in Philly, southern sweets like banana pudding and key lime pie, as well as (admittedly subjective) national rankings for classics like ribs, burgers and French fries. They even scour elusive vendors like Connecticut hot dog wagons and San Francisco taco trucks. Other notable suggestions: a cool glass of the Latino rice milk beverage Horchata at Guelaguetza in L.A., the Northwest's best cup of coffee at Ristretto Roasters in Portland; and the best cherry pie in Michigan at Beulah's Cherry Hut. Homebodies can make do with a handful of recipes (including Cincinnati five way chili, and Massachusetts's Dirt Bomb, a cinnamon and sugar-rolled muffin), but the Sterns' lyrical and enthusiastic field reports, topped off with suggestions for after-meal exploring (Philadelphia's medical anomalies museum, New Orleans's Audobon Insectarium), should be enough to get any reader with a taste for mom-and-pop Americana hungry for the road.
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54 of 56 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
On the Road Again
Once again Jane and Michael Stern have come up with a food guide, or rather a guide to places where you can get `real' food. Food that one just longs to eat -pies, ice cream, cake, ribs, just think of anything that you are warned is not health food... that is food to long for. Who wouldn't want to find the best, or the 500 things to eat before it's too late. Now whether that is too late for you or too late for these wonderful places to exist is a matter of conjecture.
The book itself is arranged in a different manner than the Sterns' other food books and most other foodie guides. First there are colored `tabs' for the different regions of the US - New England, Mid Atlantic, South, Midwest, Southwest and Great Plains and West. So you can immediately find the section of the country you want. At the beginning of each chapter is a map with the names of featured towns. Then each state list is divided into foods, such as Crumb Cake, Stuffed Ham, French Fries with the town and page numbers. Once you get used to this style it is easy to find information. The size of the book is very portable. Less than 1 inch thick and approximately 5 x 8 inches. Pages are smooth and colorful with plenty of pictures both of food and the stores themselves.
The back has two indexes; one to eateries, divided by state and city, handy if you are sitting somewhere looking for something other than golden arches and a general index which lists eateries, food, even a few recipes that are included.
Phone numbers, addresses, web sites are included - always helpful information Of course there are the reviews and information, sometimes a history or other fascinating tidbits. Better than just plain information is the poetic love of great food. I was impressed with several regional specialties that you will not find elsewhere and the style with which they are written of. When they write of southern Maryland's little known stuffed ham, they write of a dish that exists no where but in an ancient spit of land where the air smells of the sea - how can you resist the hunt for something like that?
My only complaint and frustration is the placement of National Best lists, which inexplicably are stuck in different places of the book and will for example list a food item from another region of the country -pizza in New England section, but Franks is in Illinois and then is not listed in the Illinois - Midwest section. That makes no sense. But it still isn't frustrating enough to give up on this as a guide, just surprising for what I expect from the Sterns
I have given these books as wedding presents, as going away presents and even to a friend from England who drove cross country - he now thinks America is the greatest country in the galaxy. How else could he or you for that matter find johnnycakes, shoofly pie, conch chowder, cinnamon buns, green corn tamales or huckleberry sweets. This book might be the utmost reason ever for a cross country trip. This is why I use these Road Food books as my traveling and local guides. This is my new guide that I can see will lead us to continued adventures, meeting the locals and going places that we might have by-passed on the super highways of life. Read this, follow some food adventures before it is too late
Once again Jane and Michael Stern have come up with a food guide, or rather a guide to places where you can get `real' food. Food that one just longs to eat -pies, ice cream, cake, ribs, just think of anything that you are warned is not health food... that is food to long for. Who wouldn't want to find the best, or the 500 things to eat before it's too late. Now whether that is too late for you or too late for these wonderful places to exist is a matter of conjecture.
The book itself is arranged in a different manner than the Sterns' other food books and most other foodie guides. First there are colored `tabs' for the different regions of the US - New England, Mid Atlantic, South, Midwest, Southwest and Great Plains and West. So you can immediately find the section of the country you want. At the beginning of each chapter is a map with the names of featured towns. Then each state list is divided into foods, such as Crumb Cake, Stuffed Ham, French Fries with the town and page numbers. Once you get used to this style it is easy to find information. The size of the book is very portable. Less than 1 inch thick and approximately 5 x 8 inches. Pages are smooth and colorful with plenty of pictures both of food and the stores themselves.
The back has two indexes; one to eateries, divided by state and city, handy if you are sitting somewhere looking for something other than golden arches and a general index which lists eateries, food, even a few recipes that are included.
Phone numbers, addresses, web sites are included - always helpful information Of course there are the reviews and information, sometimes a history or other fascinating tidbits. Better than just plain information is the poetic love of great food. I was impressed with several regional specialties that you will not find elsewhere and the style with which they are written of. When they write of southern Maryland's little known stuffed ham, they write of a dish that exists no where but in an ancient spit of land where the air smells of the sea - how can you resist the hunt for something like that?
My only complaint and frustration is the placement of National Best lists, which inexplicably are stuck in different places of the book and will for example list a food item from another region of the country -pizza in New England section, but Franks is in Illinois and then is not listed in the Illinois - Midwest section. That makes no sense. But it still isn't frustrating enough to give up on this as a guide, just surprising for what I expect from the Sterns
I have given these books as wedding presents, as going away presents and even to a friend from England who drove cross country - he now thinks America is the greatest country in the galaxy. How else could he or you for that matter find johnnycakes, shoofly pie, conch chowder, cinnamon buns, green corn tamales or huckleberry sweets. This book might be the utmost reason ever for a cross country trip. This is why I use these Road Food books as my traveling and local guides. This is my new guide that I can see will lead us to continued adventures, meeting the locals and going places that we might have by-passed on the super highways of life. Read this, follow some food adventures before it is too late
34 of 37 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I love the idea of regional American cuisine, and as I travel nearly every week for work, guides like this are a wonderful tool to help find the best local favorites. Generally speaking, this guide is excellent: colorful, descriptive, honest, and well laid out. I have no beef with the "national" sections: comparing fries, pizza, pancakes, burgers, and ribs across the country is a great way to see how varied we still are.
I have a couple of complaints, though. First, Hawaii is completely left off. While I understand that driving to the islands is difficult, any survey of American regional cuisine must include the plate lunch, Waiola shave ice, ramen shops, Leonard's malasadas, Mr. Mandoo's giant steamed Korean buns, and Dim Sum in Chinatown (admittedly, this could have been in San Francisco too).
Second, and on the same trend, Asian food gets amazingly short shrift. I'm glad that many Southwestern and Mexican specialties get a write-up, but to include only Ichiban PB and to leave off such great Asian-American classics as sushi, dim sum, pad thai and more seems wrong. Consider Chinese food, which for generations has been a mainstay of American eating. Completely missing, yet I would argue that American Chinese food is much more American than Chinese.
Third, Connecticut gets WAAAAAAY too much credit. By my count, only California (68) has more entries than Connecticut (56). Illinois (52), New York (40), Tennessee (42), Texas (54), all have fewer great food places than tiny little Connecticut. Massachusetts, with twice the population and a similar ethnic mix, has only 23 entries. I appreciate the Stemed Cheesburger and New Haven pizza, but SEVEN ice cream places (compared to 10 for the other states combined)? That's just ridiculous.
Fourth, too often the authors take the easy way out and recommend the standard tourist-friendly location. Take for instance the Loveless Cafe in Nashville. They have fallen from grace a long time ago, and any Nashvillian will tell you that there are countless better places for country ham, biscuits, and banana pudding. Yet somehow, they still get a glowing recommendation in the book. A similar story in Chicago, where no local will swear by Al's #1 anymore, yet it still gets the #1 rating for Italian Beef.
But these are small things that can easily be fixed in a next edition. After all, when you add up all the foods mentioned, you only come to 269 (including two separate listings for doughnuts). When you add up all the restaurant listings, since most foods have several restaurants listed, you get 931. I don't know where 500 came from, but there are plenty more foods to be added to make a nice round number! Consider buffalo wings, guacamole, lox and bagels, fried green tomatoes, gumbo, green chile, she-crab soup, cornbread... all inexlicably left out.
All in all, a controversial tome, but still well worth enjoying, if for nothing else than to bicker with your friends and family.
I have a couple of complaints, though. First, Hawaii is completely left off. While I understand that driving to the islands is difficult, any survey of American regional cuisine must include the plate lunch, Waiola shave ice, ramen shops, Leonard's malasadas, Mr. Mandoo's giant steamed Korean buns, and Dim Sum in Chinatown (admittedly, this could have been in San Francisco too).
Second, and on the same trend, Asian food gets amazingly short shrift. I'm glad that many Southwestern and Mexican specialties get a write-up, but to include only Ichiban PB and to leave off such great Asian-American classics as sushi, dim sum, pad thai and more seems wrong. Consider Chinese food, which for generations has been a mainstay of American eating. Completely missing, yet I would argue that American Chinese food is much more American than Chinese.
Third, Connecticut gets WAAAAAAY too much credit. By my count, only California (68) has more entries than Connecticut (56). Illinois (52), New York (40), Tennessee (42), Texas (54), all have fewer great food places than tiny little Connecticut. Massachusetts, with twice the population and a similar ethnic mix, has only 23 entries. I appreciate the Stemed Cheesburger and New Haven pizza, but SEVEN ice cream places (compared to 10 for the other states combined)? That's just ridiculous.
Fourth, too often the authors take the easy way out and recommend the standard tourist-friendly location. Take for instance the Loveless Cafe in Nashville. They have fallen from grace a long time ago, and any Nashvillian will tell you that there are countless better places for country ham, biscuits, and banana pudding. Yet somehow, they still get a glowing recommendation in the book. A similar story in Chicago, where no local will swear by Al's #1 anymore, yet it still gets the #1 rating for Italian Beef.
But these are small things that can easily be fixed in a next edition. After all, when you add up all the foods mentioned, you only come to 269 (including two separate listings for doughnuts). When you add up all the restaurant listings, since most foods have several restaurants listed, you get 931. I don't know where 500 came from, but there are plenty more foods to be added to make a nice round number! Consider buffalo wings, guacamole, lox and bagels, fried green tomatoes, gumbo, green chile, she-crab soup, cornbread... all inexlicably left out.
All in all, a controversial tome, but still well worth enjoying, if for nothing else than to bicker with your friends and family.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By G. Hect
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
We just got back from a five week road trip out west and back. This book was a great resource during the trip. We would spend a couple of days in a town and look to see what the book suggested. It was an adventure and the book provided an eating diversion from the regular hit and miss. It never disappointed, food was as described and made for destinations to see that we would not normally venture to. Well worth the purchase.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
2.0 out of 5 stars
Probably give this book away.
Not easy reference and too much information for me.
Kind of a mumble jumble order.
I have already put it in my yard sale items.
Kind of a mumble jumble order.
I have already put it in my yard sale items.
Published 5 days ago by Sheila
4.0 out of 5 stars
Intersting fun book
I enjoyed the book but I would not recommend the Kindle version. Its too dificult to crossreference items and the crossreferences in the text are all zeroes in that version.
Published 1 month ago by Greg
5.0 out of 5 stars
My ultimate food lovers road trip
This is one of those books you just must read on a full stomach. This book was loads of fun to read and I really enjoyed seeing some of my favorite places listed. Read more
Published 1 month ago by R. C Sheehy
5.0 out of 5 stars
We loved it
Everyone at Xmas wanted to read this book. They were all looking up their local eateries. I may have to buy more copies.
Published 4 months ago by sally orloff
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love it!!!
Got it as a present and its a great book my husband loves it!!! Shipped fast and with no problems either.
Published 4 months ago by Stephanie S. Hollingsworth
3.0 out of 5 stars
Ok...leaves out plenty and some are already gone.
This book concentrates heavily on certain areas of the country and certain foods. There are plenty of places I would have thought to include, that aren't. Read more
Published 8 months ago by JOB
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Book!
If you listen to Splendid Table every week like I do, you feel like you know the Sterns well. And this book is an excellent extension of their love for road food. Read more
Published on April 18, 2011 by PolicyGirl
4.0 out of 5 stars
Places to eat
Great reviews of some interesting places. Always loo at it before a trip and have been to a couple of places.
Published on January 11, 2011 by Sharpe7tex
5.0 out of 5 stars
MUST HAVE for road trippers
This book (along with "Road Food") carried my husband and I through a 6-week trip around the country from NC to CA and back! Read more
Published on December 9, 2010 by Kerry F. Cantwell
4.0 out of 5 stars
just an update to an earlier edition
i already had "road food" that i purchased three years ago. this is just an update. so if you have the earlier one, you're in pretty good shape. Read more
Published on December 8, 2010 by Ron R. Nath
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